Dammit, I really would have resumed myself here in a more jollier event and such, but can't restrain myself anymore to post my two cents.

I like the taste of evil in Pescado's proposal, but I have to say I fully concur with Inge's point of view. If I could vote for option 3 more strongly with a large mace, I would do that at once.
InSim is dead, long live InSim!

Also, perhaps a silly idea, but would it be technically possible? Let's say we'll have

1) Old (backed up) Insim from Warplan Beige online, read-only - no new activity
2) Old sections (contests, chats, downloads, etc.) would link to the new ones, in new sites and servers - like e.g. Sims Oasis
3) Download files can be physically on a different server, too - you only need to put the link to download

All these sites would be physically different and differently located, but they could be sharing the same style and color-scheme, as well as the same rules, the same moderation/administration style and even the same people who actually apply.

We would have then not a simple split of a ginormous communty site in many little indipendent websites, but as a matter of fact a community "core" site with many subsections; tech guys would do their tech stuff, social guys would do their social stuff, admin types would do theyr admin stuff, creative types... and so on, you get my point.
In conclusion, I think of a physically distributed organization of the InSim community, which would still remain an "individual".

I hope all this makes some sense.

ETA: shit, THREE pages, while I wrote that!

No, that part is about real copyrights: you can't use someone else's trademark to make stuff for the game. Or better: technically you can, but EA has the right to remove that content from its site.

In a nutshell, you can't make D&G underware and upload it on the Exchange. EA will pull it away.

I can express my personal point of view. My concern is about 1) legality and 2) community spirit.

1) Franchising or other kind of license is ok to me. I don't like it, but it satisfies my personal demand of legal stance.
In short, if the EULA does no more differentiate between commercial and non-commercial, paysites are ok with their requests.

2) I stand my ground, instead, about the commercialization of fanbase. A paysite (user-created content) is not comparable to an H&M, or Aspyr, or any other similar licensor - which is clearly economically separated by the fan community since its birth.
The fact paysites exploit the community is exactly the same, and the same is my ethical/moral/whatever opinion about them.

In conclusion, to me, paysites did the right (and legal) move. I'm sincerely glad to see that at last they did something factual and logical: the continuous and pointless whining was disheartening.
However, I'll continue to consider them the scum. Legal scum, but scum anyway, because of ethical implications.

I don't care about filesharing of pay stuff, just like I didn't care before: my strictly personal reasons why.
I will continue, however, to be a free creator and to support the community of free creators, since pay creators are not part of the same community, exactly like before.

It's a pity; certainly now the whole non-commercial issue has dropped. I don't think this is good, but hey: their stuff, their decision.

I'll not pretend I like this, but I prefer in any case this further clarification instead of the usual fog.

*sniff* Exnem is on that list and I'm not

I feel left out.

Me too, but her policy says "not for personal in-game use" AND they're free, therefore I can't use that stuff because of my gentlemen's agreement way of life... ack, PWNED   .

That's simply GREAT XD.

Kudos to DOT.

I'm late too

Merry Christmas Nouk!!!
(HA! Pwned!)

The irresistible frenzy these people have for making a fool of themselves will never cease to appeal me. Oops, sorry, I meant appaul.

She wants you to know that she knows our secret lair, so you (according to her) failed because she has spotted your plan. Tag! Surrender, you're caught.

OH NOES!!!111 They spotted our secret headquarters!!!!!! RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!1111oneoneoneeleven

I've PM'ed instructions; we'll see if she is genuine or another zatanna-type *shrughs*.

My pics are crap, however this is my Luigi:

Wooops! Absolutely yes, what Bigtruckgirl said  .

I was addressing that "you" to alleged copyright whiners, not you-you (I definitely need to choose better my smilies).

Pretty much, yes.

Consider also that EA expressely demands that whoever has a Sims fan site will put the "Game contents and materials © EA. All rights reserved".
And also adds that you have to put it on every page which contains any game content made by you.

I heavily doubt that, in legal terms, not putting that statement on your site makes you "tee-hee pffffft now the copyright is mine".

In a nutshell, the whole issue might maybe be condensed in: what part of ALL RIGHTS RESERVED you didn't understand?
 

That's my concern too. At least, you may throw in your half-blood heritage or something, to compensate the lack of marriage. I'm pale beyond any hope .
I wonder if I darken my face with some shoe polish and post the resulting pic may count.

Elina, here's your pict properly resized: http://www.fantasiadomain.com/fotografije054mv3.jpg

Just substitute it in imageshack, it has the same file name, so it will override the larger one.

And welcome .